


Autumn Winds

by IIyana



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-07-23 19:17:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16165235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IIyana/pseuds/IIyana
Summary: Link and Celeste have been friends for a few years but keep their past hidden. One day, he manages to convince her to go on a delivery with him to Castle Town. While there, they both run into past complications that puts a strain on their friendship.  This causes them to come face to face with their past in an attempt to hold their relationship together. Now it is time for them to decide whether to open up to each other or keep the skeletons in the closet.





	1. Starting Out

**A/N: Hello and welcome. I uploaded this years ago but took it down because of lack of direction, pacing, etc. After reading through it again I actually quite like it and decided to rewrite it and give it another chance. Depending on how it's received, i'll continue it.**

* * *

I leaned up against a tree near the entrance of the village and waited for his return. He had been gone for a few days on a delivery and I was getting restless as the sun rose higher in the sky. I pushed some of my jet black hair behind my ear and folded my arms across my chest in an attempt to calm myself but I couldn't stop my leg from shaking. _Breathe_ I reminded myself. _He's fine just breathe_. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and finally regained my composure.

My eyes shot open as I heard a bunch of loud shrieking and slowly turned my head in the direction of all the commotion. Link had finally arrived and he greeted everyone with a tired smile and a weak wave. Most of the younger kids crowded around him asking him questions I was too far away to hear. He put his hands up in an attempt to quiet them and scanned his surrounding area. Link's ocean blue eyes met my hazel ones and he subtly pointed in the direction of our normal meeting place. I gave him a slight nod and retreated back into the forest.

I made it to the spring after walking for a few minutes and managed to perch myself atop a small cliff overlooking the area. After long journeys' he usually brought Epona back here to rest though, at first, it was usually at Ilia's request. He arrived some moments later holding the reigns of his steed with a blonde haired female in tow behind him, his expression never wavering from that of a permanently exhausted pigeon.

Link and I have known each other for a few years now. I was new to the village and didn't know how to talk to people. Everyone seemed to have their established cliques and I was far too shy to attempt to claw my way into one. One day, Link caught me watching his friends from a distance and struck up a conversation. I was embarrassed and definitely tripped over my words as I attempted to explain what I was doing but he only laughed and gave me the most unperturbed smile. After that he introduced me to his friends and while I didn't actually get along with them, it was nice to feel included.

I was pulled from my thoughts at the sight of Ilia retreating back into the village. I noticed Link heave a sigh of relief before tugging on Epona's reigns to bring her further into the spring. Soon after beginning to wash her coat he seemed to lose himself in his thoughts. He was always calmest when he was with her in this environment, always getting lost for long stretches of time. I'd been told that long before I arrived at the village, he had to go on a journey across the land to defend it. They-Ilia said that since he had gotten back he hadn't been the same.

"Link!" A gruff voice called from behind us. I turned my head slightly to see a rotund man sprinting towards the young boy. This man was in his late forties and balding with his most defining characteristic being that caterpillar above his lip he had the audacity to call a mustache. He skidded to a halt near the waters edge. "I need you to make a delivery." He put his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath. The boy in question slowly made his way over to the bigger man. They spoke in lengths about what I could only assume was his next job. I was too far away to read their lips but there was a great deal of nodding going on. The rotund man briefly glanced in my direction before turning back to Link and speaking again. When the blonde boy gave him an approving look and a thumbs up, the bald man bowed and trotted off.

Link waited for a few minutes before turning his head in the direction of the older man's gaze. When his eyes met mine he gave me a lopsided smile and waved. I returned his smile with one of my own though compared to his it was much more of an awkward one. I slid down from where I was sitting on the cliff and took my place next to him which garner a laugh from him. "You're really good at hiding your presence." He said with a lazy smile. In response to his words I gave him a half smile and a shrug.

"I've had a long time to practice." He nodded slowly and turned his gaze towards me, his tired eyes now twinkling.

"Do you want to come?"

"Where...?" I eyed him cautiously. Despite the giant bags under his eyes he looked incredibly excited about his question.

"On my next delivery! We'll be heading to castle town!"

"No." I answered flatly.

"It'll be your chance to get out of the village for once!" He gave me a cheerful smile. "C'mon! For me?" He looked up at me through his lashes and ever so slightly stuck out his bottom lip. I sighed, putting up my hands in defeat.

"Ugh fine. I hate it when you do that." I rolled my eyes at him and he chuckled.

"You're cute when you're pouting." Satisfied with my answer, he ruffled my hair as he passed me and headed back towards the to village. I turned back and looked at Epona wondering briefly if he was going to leave her there but my thoughts were quickly quelled when I saw Ilia approach from the other side of the clearing. I quickened my pace to catch up with Link who was already a few steps ahead.

"How long has it been since you've slept?" He blinked once very slowly before answering me.

"A while."

"Nightmares?" He rubbed his face with his hand and nodded but didn't make eye contact. Against my better judgement I reached out to touch his shoulder but he flinched and moved a few inches away from me. I let out a silent sigh, crossed my arms over my chest and tried to think of something to say. Unconsciously I started chewing on my bottom lip, trying to come up with anything to ease the tension in the air. I hadn't noticed I had stopped walking until Link was in front of me with concern reflected in his eyes.

"I'm fine." I tucked some hair behind my ear and slightly tilted my head to the side.

"I'm worried about you though."

"Don't be."

"You look a wreck. Why don't you come over and relax a bit."

"I was going there anyway. I've got to pick up those packages your dad was talking about." He scratched the back of his head. "I can't stay long since i'm heading out tomorrow morning."

"No you're not." My tone was deliberate signifying that this was not up for debate. Pushing past him, I headed in the direction of my house never checking to see if he was following or not. After a few painfully quiet minutes I made it to my front door and halted to a stop. Behind me I could hear another set of feet shuffle to a stop as well so I cocked my head to the side. Link had followed me though his tired expression had changed to one of annoyance. I hid the growing smile on my face as I pushed the door open and disappeared into the shadows. Link followed me inside and huffed when he noticed I had disappeared. I stifled a giggle while watching him walk over to my father and have a very animated conversation with him. My dad was handing him boxes and pointing to different things that were written. Link nodded along seeming to follow the conversation quite well and asking questions when he needed more clarification but for the most part it was a rather uneventful exchange. As the younger boy turned to go my father put a hand on his shoulder to stop him and Link shuddered. My dad pretended not to notice and opened his mouth to speak.

"I know you're going to convince my daughter to go with you but those two don't exactly have the best history."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Link said and gave my dad a weak smile.

"Well i'm sure you're right but in the event something does happen do I have your word that you'll protect my daughter?" He gave Link a steely gaze as he spoke. Who were they talking about? The list of people I didn't have the best history with was extensive and after a few minutes I let out an exasperated sigh. There was no way I was going to come up with that answer on my own. Shaking my head I started to walk towards the two men.

"I'll obviously end up being the damsel in distress." I deadpanned. They nearly jumped at the sound of my voice but attempted to play it off. As they turned to me, I was relieved to see Link with a genuine smile on his face.

"Will my fair maiden need rescuing?" He bowed, a grin pulling at the side of his mouth. I huffed at his words, a smile slowly tugging at my own lips. In the distance I heard the sound of a door closing and turned to look. My father had retreated back to his room much to my surprise. I exchanged a look with the blue-eyed man in front of me and decided to use this opportunity while I had it. Motioning him towards my room, I grabbed a blanket off the couch and headed inside. "You know I always get worried when you invite me into your room." He said after watching me lay the blanket down. I turned my head towards him with a questioning look in my eyes.

"W-well you know." He trailed off with no intention of finishing his thought.

"I have a balcony." I sat down, pulled my knees up to my chest and shrugged. "Plus since it's so nice outside I figured you wouldn't mind looking at the stars." I paused. "Don't think you're going to sneak out of here early. I will drag you back here kicking and screaming if I have to." To my surprise Link gave me a hearty laugh reached up and ruffled my hair affectionately. I felt some heat rise in my cheeks as he sat down and faced me. I did my best not to break eye contact and he kept rubbing my head.

"I'm lucky to have you looking after me." He said a serene expression overtaking his features. His hand slipped from my head and back down to his side. He leaned back on his hands and turned his attention to the sky. "If we leave by mid-day," He began. "We should get there by evening. If you're up to it I mean. You don't have to come if you don't want to." He brought one of his hands to his face to cover his mouth as he yawned.

"I don't." I said bluntly. "But you asked."

"I only asked because..." He yawned, laid on his side and mumbled a few words as his eyelids fluttered shut. I waited a few moments hoping he would speak again but was only greeted with the steady rise and fall of his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

My eyes fluttered open as sunlight streamed through my window. I tried to cover my face with my arms and quickly realized I couldn't. After some quick surveillance I noticed I was lying in my bed wrapped up like a burrito. I rolled towards the edge of my bed and right out of the blanket. Swinging my legs over the side, I looked around my room and noted that Link was nowhere to be found. My balcony door was closed and the blinds were pulled. Some obvious deduction told me he woke up in the middle of the night and brought me in here. I scratched the back of my head, yawned and exited the room.

Hearing some light moaning coming from the direction of the living room I went to investigate. Link was squirming uncomfortably with a pained expression on the couch. He had broken out in a cold sweat, his breathing was rapid and shallow. He was clutching the blanket I had taken out to the balcony so tightly his knuckles were turning white. I sat down on the arm of the couch, pushed some hair from his forehead and attempted to put the back of my hand against his skin. Heat emanated from his body that hit me like a wave. I didn't need to touch him to know he was running a slight fever. Tucking some hair behind my ear I retreated to the bathroom, got a wet cloth and placed it on his forehead. I took my place back on the arm of the couch and started stroking his hair in a slow rhythmic fashion. Link's breathing slowed and he stopped squirming but he still looked pained.

I frowned, slipped my hand over his and hummed a tune I had learned long ago. Slowly, he released the grip on the blanket and a tranquil expression overtook his features. The corner of my mouth turned up and I gave his hand a light squeeze. I finished humming and sat with him for a few more minutes, a peaceful silence settling over the room.

After deciding enough time had passed, I made my way to the kitchen to begin preparing food for the journey. I tied my hair up trying to be as quiet as possible which I now know is actually impossible to do when you're chopping vegetables. Well, when you're chopping anything really.

I wrapped up the food I had prepared and walked back into the living room. Unfortunately, Link was sitting up with his hands in his lap staring blankly at the floor boards. His eyes shot up to my own and he gave me a weak smile.

"Did I wake you?"

He shook his head.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded and gave me a forced smile.

"You're such a liar." I walked over, put my hands on the arm of the couch and looked into his eyes. He avoided my gaze.

"I'm just tired." Link let out a heavy sigh, his eyebrows knitted and he frowned. The cloth that had been on his forehead was now being crushed to death in his hands.

I put a finger to my chin and tilted my head, a thoughtful expression on my face. "Why don't you sleep in my room?"

Link's head snapped up and his eyes bore into mine. The bags under his eyes were deeper than they were last night and his bright baby blues were dull, almost lifeless.

"That wouldn't be appropriate." He said finally.

"Oh don't give me that. You fell asleep next to me yesterday." I waved off his response and ran my fingers though my hair. "I can hold your hand until you fall asleep." I continued. "Then i'll just read while I wait for you to wake up." I moved my left hand to my hip and raised an eyebrow. "Or I could lay in the bed with you and you could wrap me up like a burrito again."

My words managed to get a small chuckle out of him and he leaned back on the couch. Link stared up blankly at the ceiling and looked to be gathering his thoughts. I frowned and waited for him to stir and much to my surprise he didn't. Upon closer inspection a small smile spread across my face as I observed his sleeping face. I sat down next to him on the couch and pushed some hair from his face noting his peaceful expression. I stroked his hair for a while and eventually fell asleep with my head on his shoulder.

My eyes shot open and I rubbed my eyes as I began to gather my thoughts. Link was sleeping next to me with his head hanging limply. Listening to his steady breathing put me at ease despite the fact I knew he hadn't been sleeping much. My hands fell into my lap and I closed my eyes in an attempt to steel myself. I didn't have the heart to wake him. With a reluctant sigh, I craned my neck to get a better view of the window behind us. Dusk seemed to be readily on the horizon which meant we had slept far past our time of departure.

"Link." I whispered begrudgingly with a light nudge to his ribs. "Link it's time for us to get ready." No response.

"Link." I said a bit louder. "You have to get up. It's time for us to go." I nudged him a little harder this time. One of his eyes popped open and he put a hand on the back of his neck. Depending on how long he had been sleeping like that I bet his neck was sore. He rubbed it for a few minutes and attempted to crack it before turning to me.

"How long was I out?"

"Three years."

"Three years?" He let out a short laugh when he noticed my straight-faced expression. "That would explain why my neck hurts so much." He winced, stood and stretched out his tired limbs. He froze with his arms extended over his head and shot me a frightened look.

"Gross! Only in my nightmares." I snorted and stood.

Link opened his mouth, shut it and smirked at me. I eyed him warily and slid off the couch. Before my feet touched the floor he lunged at me and started to tickle me.

"Only in your nightmares huh?"

I laughed and tried to swat him away but he kept dodging me.

"Stop! Link!" I gasped. "Seriously! We have to go!" I shoved him off and rolled off the couch landing with a soft thud.

He tilted his head, his tired eyes were twinkling with curiosity.

"I'm fine. I didn't fall that far." I held out my hand and he pulled me to my feet. "Jerk." I mumbled giving him a light shove.

I quickly returned to my room to change and wandered back out into the living room to find the blue-eyed boy lacing up his boots. He definitely saw me before he heard me because he visibly shook though it was brief. His eyes wandered to me for a few moments before he turned and began putting the lunches I had made in a burlap sack. He extended his arm towards the door and nodded slightly, ushering me forward. I decided to oblige but I shot him a look before I walked outside. Epona was standing near the door with her head buried in a bowl of water. My father was leaning up against the fence with a pleasant smile on his face as he watched her. Upon hearing the door close he turned and extended the smile to us as well.

"Finally up and ready to go huh?" I nodded at his words and he gave me and even wider smile. "Well Epona has already eaten so after this she should be ready to head on out!"

"Thanks dad." I returned his smile as I watched Link affix a few bags to his noble steed. After fiddling for a few minutes Link put his hands on my hips and before I could protest, hoisted me onto her, climbing on after me.

"You could have warned me." I hissed.

"And miss the face you just made? No." He chuckled and tugged on Epona's reigns. We said our goodbyes to my father who made Link promise to look after me. Link only laughed at his words while I rolled my eyes and we both headed off into the world.

Hyrule field was absolutely stunning. I hadn't left the village since I had moved in a few years ago so seeing the lush green of the hills and trees was a treat. What really took my breathe away was the beauty of the sunset. Since we had left the village so late, the sun had already begun to set and seeing the blue hues mixed in with the pink and purples in the clouds was breathtaking. I had seen a sunset many times from my terrace but seeing it here in such a wide and open space was nothing short of amazing.

"It's beautiful..." I whispered. Link nodded at my words but kept his attention focused on the road ahead of us. He makes this journey at least once a week so I assumed he wasn't as impressed by this as I was. I started to lean back to get a better look at the the horizon and lost my balance. Link grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him before I fell backwards. He wrapped my arm around his stomach, his right hand lingering there for a few moments before he returned it to the reign. Not a moment later we started gaining speed and I clutched Link's shirt tighter.

We had been riding for a few hours and I let my mind go blank. How does Link do this?! Let alone once a week? It hadn't been long since we had left Ordon and I was already bored. I blew some hair out of my face and started to lean back to stare up at the sky. This was a long ride. Not only long but silent. Link and I hadn't spoken in a few hours. He was so focused on the road ahead of us so I didn't want to distract him. Especially considering how late and dark it was getting, I didn't want to make him lose focus but I was just. So. Bored.

"How do you do this?" I asked finally.

"Do what?"

"Ride into town like this. Isn't it boring by yourself?" I rested my head on his back and felt him tense up.

"You never want to come with me." he said after a few moments.

"Because this is as boring as I thought it would be." I said softly. "But..." I paused and trailed off. I felt my eyelids getting heavy. "Maybe taking you up on your offer wasn't such a bad idea."

"Thanks for coming with me." Was the last thing I heard him say before I drifted off to sleep.

I was awakened by the soft but jarring clopping of Epona's hooves on the pavement. I blinked a few times to get my bearings, removed one of my hands from his waist to rub my eyes. There were street lamps on either side of us as we made our way down this road. I looked around briefly seeing the tops of houses in the distance but not quite able to make them out. I raised both of my arms over my head until I heard something in my back pop which prompted me to lower them. Link took this opportunity to dismount and guide Epona to our destination via her reigns.

Tucking some hair behind my ear, I took a closer look at what was around me. The first thing that stuck out to me was all the guards that lined both sides of the street. They weren't paying me much mind but they kept bowing to Link and I could tell how uncomfortable it was making him. I leaned back on my hands doing my best to distribute my weight so I wouldn't hurt Epona.

A few minutes later we reached the the entrance of Hyrule Castle. The front of the castle was absolutely gorgeous. The dim light from the street lamps only enhanced its beauty. The castle was ornate, spanning several feet with many different towers scattered throughout the grounds. In the morning, I would definitely have to ask for a tour. Link arrived at my side once again and placed his hands on my hips. I put my hands over his as we counted to three and he lifted me up before setting me down on the ground. My grip on his arms tightened when my knees buckled. I had been riding on the back of the horse for so long my legs weren't used to the ground any more. A smile crossed the boy's face as he lightly tugged me forward towards the castle gates. He bowed before them and I quickly followed his example, the castle doors creaked open a moment later. One guard came forward to take Epona. He helped Link unload all of the things he wanted to carry with him before taking her away. There was another guard who took his place, taking a few of the bags from Link and guiding us to one of the towers.

"The princess sends her regards. She wanted to be here to welcome you in person but she must rise early tomorrow and therefore needs her rest." The guard paused. "It's good to see you are well Master Link."

"Please don't call me that." His brows furrowed and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. We rounded a corner and entered the tower we had been walking towards. I had a lot of questions but decided to wait until we were where ever we were being taken. We walked up many flights of stairs before finally making it to our destination. Most of the hallways were lined with old photos of people I didn't recognize. My deduction told me they were the royal family and if that was the case, Princess Zelda's family was enormous.

The guard finally stopped in front of a door at the top of the stairs. "You two must be tired. This room was selected for you to rest in. Please enjoy your stay and if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask." The guard bowed and left. I looked at Link who just ushered me forward. With a shrug I pushed the door open not being able to hide my excitment.

The room that had been arranged for us was not only extravagant but also vast in size. There were beautiful lilac curtains covering a window that led out into an equally spacious balcony. In the corner was an open body of water that looked to be used for relaxing. It had lily pads with lotus flowers floating in it and was surrounded by three statues of the goddesses. They were each holding vases that were pouring water into it. In the far corner towards the back was a giant bed fit for a princess. It was a canopy bed with light pink curtains tied to the arms of the bed. There was an elegant couch near the corner with a vanity next to it. On the other side of the bed was a nightstand and next to that was a vast array of books. The bookshelf seemed to be built into the wall giving the room a very sophisticated look. The floor and walls were coated with a beautiful milky white marble.

"It's too much." Link and I said simultaneously. We shared a look for a brief moment and burst into laughter.

"It's certainly beautiful. But it's too much." I walked towards the couch with Link following closely behind.

He set most of the bags down near the couch but kept something with him until he sat down. He pulled a strap over his head and when I actually looked at it, I noticed it was a sheathe. How long had he been carrying his sword around? How had it taken me this long to notice it? He set it down to the left of him on the couch while I was on the right. I took off my shoes and pulled my knees to my chest, resting my head atop my knees.

Link made eye contact with me and started to rub the back of his neck. He could feel the barrage of questions I was about to throw at him.

"Why are we here? Why aren't we staying at an Inn?"

"I have an audience with the princess tomorrow. When I was here the other day she told me she would arrange a room for my return." He looked at the bed briefly before turning back to me. "I want you to come with me."

"You want me to meet the princess?" I questioned astonished.

"Yes."

"How do you know the princess?"

He raised an eyebrow at my question as a far off look overtook his features. "I'm sure you've heard how I had to go on a journey to defend Hyrule." I nodded and waited for him to continue. "Zelda and I became very close after the journey was over. I helped her with her quest to rebuild the kingdom." His eyes dimmed as he spoke and I could see pain behind them.

"Did a lot of people gossip about you two?"

He blinked but he was still stuck in a far off land. "There wasn't much to say, I didn't talk."

I nodded slightly while a somber silence descended upon us and it made me horribly uncomfortable. I ran my fingers through my hair, slid off the couch and stood in front of him. Link was so lost in his own thoughts that I wasn't sure if he was coming back. With a frown, I slowly walked away and turned to start exploring the rest of the room.

Off to the side of the giant pond there was a room with an actual tub in it and a thought began to form in my mind. I started to draw a bath and looked around for anything else I could add to increase the atmosphere. Under the sink I stumbled upon some candles and decided to line the outside of the tub with them. In a small cabinet stationed on the wall I found some rose petals and sprinkled a few in the bath water. There was also a lavender plant which I set down on the edge of the tub. I turned off the spigot and went back into the bedroom.

Link still looked like he was lost in thought and didn't notice my return. I sat down next to him and gave him a light nudge with my shoulder. He blinked slowly a few times but otherwise didn't respond. I reached out and put my hand over his, squeezing it slightly. Link closed his eyes while he took a deep breath and sat that way for a few minutes. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned to me with a reassuring smile on his face. I stood while still holding his hand and half guided half dragged him into the bathroom. He looked at me with a quizzical expression but otherwise followed willingly.

"Oh." He said when he entered the room.

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "I thought it might help you relax." I looked down, rubbed my hands together and turned from him. "I know it's...feminine b-but I...umm you've had a long couple of days-"

He put his hand on my head and started to stroke my hair slowly. I looked up to meet his eyes and found a genuine, ear to ear smile on his face. Link had such a tender expression in his eyes that my heart skipped a beat and I unconsciously returned the smile.

"Thank you." He said softly. He removed his hand from the top of my head and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door cracked.

What...was that? I thought to myself. Well he doesn't smile like that often so I was just surprised. I shook my head, tied my hair up into a messy bun and made my way over to the bookshelf. I stood there for at least ten minutes before I decided on a book about the history of the royal family. Placing it by the side of the pond I began to strip down to just my underwear and sat in the pond. The water was lukewarm and oddly comfortable. I released a sigh as I got comfortable, shimming down until my neck and head were the only things visible. I closed my eyes briefly, took a deep breath to gather my thoughts and grabbed the book I had set down beside me.

I must have been sitting in that pond for hours because my skin was beginning to prune. I yawned as I turned another page of the book. It was a hefty tome spanning over 400 pages of which I had read 275 of them. Princess Zelda had a long list of ancestors many of whom retained the same appearance as her. I suppose you could say that looks really do run in the family. Deciding this was a good place to stop, I closed the book and stretched my arms out in front of me. My bun came undone and my hair cascaded down into the water and fanned out in front of me.

"I guess it's time to get out." I mumbled to myself with a slight sigh. I pulled myself out and wrung my hair out over the the small body of water. Something flew through the air and hit me in the face. I found out that 'something' was a towel.

"You should be more careful."

I tossed my hair over my shoulder and glanced up to get a good look at Link. He was turned to the side and his face was covered by his hair and the towel he had on his head.

"Careful of what?" I asked wrapping the towel around myself. I ruffled my hair and frowned. "Sorry?"

"Don't apologize if you don't understand why." He sighed. "Anyway shouldn't you be asleep right now?"

"I usually try not to go to bed until I make sure you're already asleep." I folded my arms over my chest and twirled a stray piece of hair around my finger.

"You don't have to worry so much." He said quietly. Now that I got a good look at him I saw that he was dressed in a white robe. I guess the Princess really thought of everything.

"Well i'm going to." I said with finality.

"You're so stubborn."

"You're one to talk." I said roughly and made my way past him. "I'm going to take a bath. You better be asleep when I get out."

"...Alright." He said hesitantly.

I retreated into the bathroom and took a quick bath myself. Washing my hair took the longest. While I adored my hair I had to admit it was getting far too long. It was already halfway down my back! I'd have to find some way to deal with it. After the bath, I tied my hair into a braid that stopped just short of my belly button, dug around in the closet until I found a robe of my own and exited the bathroom.

Much to my dismay, Link was sitting on the couch with a book in his lap and a candle by his side. His dirty blond hair fell into his face, obscuring it from view. Taking a few steps closer I saw that he had actually fallen asleep to my delight and surprise. A new problem arose though, now I would have to move him from the couch to the bed. I took a deep breath, grabbed Link by the waist and lifted him onto my back.

He was exactly as heavy as he looked.

Slowly and carefully I made my way over to the bed. My legs burned with each step forward I took. When I finally made it to the bed I practically dropped him on top of it and started to catch my breath. I needed to work out more. I thanked the goddesses he didn't wake up considering what a light sleeper he could be. On the other hand it was entirely plausible he did wake up but wanted to humor me and kept pretending to be asleep.

I blew out the candle and laid down on the couch. Either way it didn't matter and after a few minutes I drifted off to sleep.


End file.
